Alastair Cook joins Michael Clarke in needing to perform at Trent Bridge

Alastair Cook joins Michael Clarke in needing to perform at Trent Bridge
3 HOURS AGO AUGUST 05, 2015 6:49PM


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ALASTAIR Cook has had a lot more practice than Michael Clarke at captaining in the midst of a form slump, and the England skipper admits it’s a fish bowl existence that presents the toughest of challenges.
Clarke is one of the sharpest tactical thinkers cricket has seen, and for the most part since taking over the captaincy in 2011 has seen his batting rise to another level.
Cook — England’s most prolific batsman — has often gone the other way with the ‘c’ next to his name, and the 30-year-old concedes that despite a 96 two matches ago at Lord’s, he too is feeling the heat heading into the fourth Test at Trent Bridge.
England Nets Session
Alastair Cook knows he needs a big score at Trent Bridge.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann has already said publicly he believes his bowlers have Cook under the pump, however, no one is under more pressure heading into this anticipated showdown than Clarke.
Not simply to break a run-scoring drought, but to nail every decision he has to make in the field as his side look to make history coming from 2-1 down.
Speaking from personal experience, Cook says batting dips can also affect a captain’s judgment in other areas.
“First and foremost you are a batter, you’re picked as a batter,” said Cook.
“It’s one of those things that when you score runs … then naturally your confidence is up a bit more and you’re probably more decisive in your decision-making — certainly (that’s the case) from my point of view.
If Alastair Cook is dumped by England, maybe he could take up football.

“That’s why you’re captain. You’re the leader of the team but you’re also the forefront of the team, with people always discussing what you’re doing as a captain and as a player.
“You’re the most high-profile bit of it.
“I suppose that comes with added pressure. That’s why when things go well you get the praise for it and when things don’t go quite so well you’re the fall guy.

“You wouldn’t have it any other way because that’s what you sign up for when you have the honour of leading your country.”
Cook has posted England’s second highest individual score this series, and couldn’t have been any more unlucky at Edgbaston — caught in miraculous circumstances at short leg and bowled by an almost unplayable delivery from Mitchell Starc.
Mark Wood will come into the English team for Jimmy Anderson.

Yet Cook doesn’t deny Lehmann is right in his assessment that he is under as much pressure as his battling opening partner Adam Lyth.
There is no guarantee new coach Trevor Bayliss will persist with Cook as captain after this series, and the left-hander admits he is feeling the pinch.
His philosophy for getting out of trouble is exactly the same as Clarke’s — hard work, self-belief and sticking to what’s worked in the past.
“I’m a little bit disappointed with the actual numbers stacking up, I’d like to be averaging more than 30,” Cook said of his performance so far this series.
“But there were a couple of circumstances in the last Test match where things didn’t quite go my way.

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“I feel as though I’m actually batting quite nicely, so there’s been a big change in my game over the last six months or so.
“I’ve been around the block a little bit. In certain series I’ve scored runs and in others I haven’t.
“You keep staying true to who you are as a batsman, your technique, your method and your preparation and things look after themselves.
“The danger is always searching for the magic answer, which is probably not there.
“It’s down to hard work and a little bit of luck as well.
“Then when you go are in, you go big — and I haven’t done that.”

Mark Wood is set to be passed fit to come in and fill the void left by Jimmy Anderson, however Cook has anointed Stuart Broad — who is on the verge of 300 wickets — to take over as leader of the attack.

Alistair Cook is widely regarded as one of the best test batsman in world cricket at the moment. But it is very evident that he is suffering a dip in form during the recent times. He needs to get some runs under his belt very quickly in order to provided much needed support to the English Cricket Team in this ongoing Ashes series.

That is not really true. Over the last calendar year, Cook has averaged 50.17. He has averaged 48.75 at home and 53.60 away. Since the start of this year, Cook has averaged 50.46. His average over the last 12 months is higher than his career average.  Cook's time away from ODI cricket has done him the world of good.

End of day one: England lead by 214 runs with 6 wickets in hand. This is situation we normally see at end of day three or four